Thank you to Disney and Marvel Studios for hosting me during the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Event.
We had so much fun interviewing Michael Rooker and Sean Gunn during the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 event. Yondu whistled for us, you guys. How freaking cool was that? There were so many laughs during this interview.
The movie’s been out for a few days. Hopefully you’ve already seen it. Just in case you haven’t, I’ve made any spoilers invisible. Just highlight any passages that are invisible and you’ll be able to read them. Also, why haven’t you seen the movie yet? It’s so good!
Is Kraglin using Yondu’s fin at the end of Vol. 2 a possible tie-in to Vol. 3?
Gunn: I don’t know anything other than where I’m supposed to stand and what I’m supposed to say.
Rooker: Good answer, dude. You’re good at this s–t.
Gunn: I’d like to think there’s more in store for that character, but I don’t know anything.
Rooker: I know everything. I know it all. Five minutes after I know it, it’s gone.
What was his reaction when he first learned Yondu would die in the film?
Rooker: You know what? I’m used to dying. I’ve died several times. Many times in different movies and different TV shows and it doesn’t hurt at all. It’s okay. I’ll be back. Somewhere.
Was it important for there to be a redemption storyline for Yondu?
Rooker: It wasn’t important to me at all. No. Just, no, it doesn’t bother me.
Gunn: No, I know. He doesn’t work like that.
What was the makeup process like?
Rooker: Oh, you know what? Yeah, the makeup process is awesome. Awesome makeup process. It took about, maybe, a three hour process to put on and four or five, six layers of different shades of blue and gold and silver and yellow, flecks and all kinds of stuff. And they just, sometimes they just flick it on with a brush. They put it on the brush and they just go and they just flick it and it’s like little spackling all over your face, but tiny little dots that helps to bring out the depth of the paint so it just looks like real skin and I mean, it feels like real skin, too.
What about the Ravager teeth?
Rooker: Oh, we both had some grills, baby. Do we not?You had more of a problem with it than I did. Yeah.
Gunn: Yeah, the teeth. Teeth can be tricky. I tried to get the teeth made a good several months before we started so that I could just put them in and work with the talking. In the first movie, it was one of the most difficult things.
Rooker: It was. But I didn’t have a problem with it because everybody’s different. Sean can speak English. I cannot. Sean’s consonants are, you know, he uses consonants. I do not almost never and my, my quality is more throatal and guteral. His is not. I mean, he can do that, of course. We are trained actors. The teeth are up in the front, so I form my words and my consonants and sounds more back, so it didn’t bother me at all with the speaking. What it did do was it’s very difficult for the whistle. A whistle’s all in the front right where the stupid teeth are. We got to fix these because I got to whistle. And so they did. I had to relearn a little bit of where I focus. Where I focus the sound for the whistling and stuff.
Were the whistles in the film his?
Rooker: It’s, they enhance it, but it is my whistle.
Do they have a favorite character in the film?
Rooker: You can say me, if you want.
Gunn: I wouldn’t. I don’t know. I like ‘em all in different ways. I love Drax. I loved the journey that I’ve seen Dave take from from his audition for the first movie through this magnificent performance he gives in this movie. I guess if I had to choose, I’d say Dave, but I love all the characters in the movie.
Rooker: Yeah, oh yeah.
Gunn: Except, except him.
Rooker: I don’t like working with real humans. Never have. I’m going to go with Rocket and Baby Groot are my favorite. But that being said, Rocket is my friend right here and we worked together day and night doing this. He does all the vocals and all the voice stuff for Rocket.
Gunn: On set, yeah.
Rooker: When we’re doing a scene, it takes four or five good ones to layer all that stuff and you can probably talk a little bit more about that layering stuff.
Gunn: Yeah. We have to do several takes for anything that Rocket is a part of. We do a reference take. We’re in there and we make sure we get one or two good ones of those and then we have to do one when I’m doing the lines from just behind the camera.
What’s it like working with your brother on the set?
Gunn: We’ve been working together in various capacities since we were little, so I have an easier time working with him than just about anybody because we have such a shorthand for communicating with one another and I know for the most part, what he’s looking for. When I read scenes, I have a pretty good feel for what he’s going for. I think that we work together really, really well. I’m certainly grateful that he gave me such a nice role in this film.
Rooker: You owe it all to me. I talked to him about you.
Gunn: I really am happy to be part of it. I know that that’s kind of what I’m supposed to say, but it’s true. You know, it’s a great franchise and I think that the movies are made with a lot of love and a lot of heart and I’m very happy to be part of that.
Rooker: And you should be happy that he didn’t torture you too much.
What was it like filming the funeral scene?
Rooker: You know, it was emotional. Very, very emotional for everyone but me. I was sleepy. It’s true. Swear to God.
Gunn: When we’re doing the funeral scene at the end where Chris has his big speech and we’re all there super sad and all of the sudden you hear, “Zzzzzzzz.” Rook was out. So funny.
Make sure you follow along with all of my Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 event coverage right here!
Set to the all-new sonic backdrop of Awesome Mixtape #2, Marvel Studios’ “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” continues the team’s adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mystery of Peter Quill’s true parentage. Old foes become new allies and fan-favorite characters from the classic comics will come to our heroes’ aid as the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to expand.